Removing IE

[Pangloss]

Why would I want to remove IE, spite aside?

 

Exactly what I was wondering. I'm all for finding learning inspiration wherever one can, but this seems especially pointless.

[encipher]

Disabling IE is not the same as removing IE, and it can't be disabled properly either without interfering with other functionality. Its PART of windows, and if nessicary, I can show to anyone who understands ASM well, why it is so.

 

As for the browser in explorer, you are wrong. It is using Internet explorer's rendering engine. It's application extentions.. which IS integrated into windows. So saying they they are different is wrong. THAT is what's called integration. Its internet explorer Integrated into windows. Try checking user agent. I'm pretty sure it wont say "explorer". Thats becuase its not

[herme3]

Why would I want to remove IE, spite aside?

 

Just for fun. Just knowing that you did something that everyone said was impossible.

 

Disabling IE is not the same as removing IE' date=' and it can't be disabled properly either without interfering with other functionality. Its PART of windows, and if nessicary, I can show to anyone who understands ASM well, why it is so.

 

As for the browser in explorer, you are wrong. It is using Internet explorer's rendering engine. It's application extentions.. which IS integrated into windows. So saying they they are different is wrong. THAT is what's called integration. Its internet explorer Integrated into windows. Try checking user agent. I'm pretty sure it wont say "explorer". Thats becuase its not[/quote']

 

I don't know all the details about Windows or Internet Explorer, but I still think you are wrong. The application at C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Iexplore.exe is never loaded in the RAM unless you click on an Internet Explorer shortcut. If you can figure out how to delete this file (it's more difficult than you might think, but I know how to do it) then you can say that you deleted the Internet Explorer application. The application will be gone! When you try to open Internet Explorer from any shortcut, you will just keep getting various error messages. Yes, the .dll files and registry entries will still be there, but the application itself will not.

 

The only other way you will be able to browse the Internet is by using explorer.exe or another browser, such as Firefox. You will not be able to access Internet Explorer anymore, and it will not have any other harmful affects to your computer except for the programs that require Internet Explorer.

[Klaynos]

Herme3, did you read my link?

 

How big is that .exe file? (I'm not booted into windows atm so can't check)...

[herme3]

Herme3, did you read my link?

 

Yes, I read the link and I disagree with it. Outlook Express and similar components only use Trident to render the HTML, not the actual iexplore.exe file. If you want proof, just check the processes running in the Task Manager. This file is never loaded into the RAM unless you actually use Internet Explorer. You can delete iexplore.exe and still use all the components including the Help and Support Center, Control Panel, and other applications. The only application that appears to not work is Windows Update.

 

How big is that .exe file? (I'm not booted into windows atm so can't check)...

 

91 KB

[Dak]

Why would I want to remove IE, spite aside?

 

Being a web developer, i doubt that you would.

 

There are, however, many reasons that other people would want to.

 

I've seen trojans that, once on your computer, will use IE (and IE flaws) to download more crap onto your computer or pop up ads, even if it is not your default browser, and that aren't programmed to/capable of use(ing) any other browser to do so. Ive seen one method of installation that took advantage of some kind of sun java VM exploit to run itself using through IE (i.e. even if you viewed the page in firefox, opera, etc, the javascript or java applett (forget which) would be run by IE) whereupon IEs plethora of flaws were used to d/l trojans to the machine. Wanting to remove something that could allow you to get infected, or could allow those infections to run, is certainly not an unreasonable desire, espescially for businesses whom should be worrying more than others about possible infections creating information leaks or knocking their PCs offline (instant messengers and IRC clients are often removed from business PCs as security risks -- why shouldn't IE be?)

 

So, mainly it's a security issue, although addmittedly many of these issues can be addressed mearly by blocking IE in a two-way software firewall (having said that tho, I dont think many corporate boxes have software firewalls, just a one-way firewall on their gateway).

 

Anyway, after all that MS have done to spite their competitors in the past, i dont see how spiting MS is neccesarily a bad reason.

[Klaynos]

I think it's worth pointing out that that file is not actually an application. It's just a way of launching several services of the os packaged together. And for future note the rendering engine is where alot of the security vulnerabilities appear...

[Dak]

hmm, i see. and i suppose those serveses are the ones that the help-file renderer etc rely on?

 

I believe that most files trying to take advantage of ie directly interact with iexplore.exe, so deleting it might still go a long way towards ameleorating the problems inherent in the rendering engine? (i assumed that the rendering engine was part of iexplore.exe)

[encipher]

The application will be gone! When you try to open Internet Explorer from any shortcut' date=' you will just keep getting various error messages. Yes, the .dll files and registry entries will still be there, but the application itself will not.

 

The only other way you will be able to browse the Internet is by using explorer.exe or another browser, such as Firefox. You will not be able to access Internet Explorer anymore, and it will not have any other harmful affects to your computer except for the programs that require Internet Explorer.[/quote']

 

Simlple analysis and logic shows that the internet explorer executable is just an entry point to the real work that goes on. iexplore.exe is only 96kb.. thats one indication. If the program is loaded in a debugger it can be traced that it relies primarily on C:\WINDOWS\system32\browseui.dll, C:\WINDOWS\system32\browselc.dll and C:\WINDOWS\system32\mshtml.dll just for starters. And looking at the properties of those dlls you notice:

 

Description: Shell Browser UI Library

 

for the broswer user interface dlls... and

 

Description: Microsoft ® HTML Viewer

 

for the mshtml dll

 

Which clearly indicates that it's all taking place inside the application extentions and not the main executable. And since those are part of the shell and windows's system, they cannot be removed. If you analyze explorer.exe when you browse the web you will get the same results.

[scientist]

Internet Explorer can be easily removed via the following method:

 

* control panel

* add/remove programs

*select "remove windows conponents" from the left hand menu

* Scroll down until you reach Internet Explorer.

*Click the remove button adjacent to IE and follow the on screen instructions.

 

Alot of people remove IE as they have bought new browsers and no longer need it. I assure you it will not compromise your security settings.

 

However, there is a differnece between IE and windows explorer. Windows explorer cannot be deleted nor disabled as it is vital for your computer to run correctly, as it is this that allows you to view your files and folders. IE & WE do not have anything directly in common.

 

In conclusive to this, i do not recommend removing any windows conponents unless you are a qualified professional in this faculty, as it is tricky and risky business!

[5614]

Alot of people remove IE as they have bought new browsers

I didn't know you could buy a new web browser. They're all free!

[ecoli]

Internet Explorer can be easily removed via the following method:

 

* control panel

* add/remove programs

*select "remove windows conponents" from the left hand menu

* Scroll down until you reach Internet Explorer.

*Click the remove button adjacent to IE and follow the on screen instructions.

 

clearly you haven't tried this method, for then you would know, Microsoft isn't that stupid. You can't remove IE via add/remove programs.

[1veedo]

If you delete explore.exe the computer will never work again. The file is dynamically generated per computer, presumably w/ a key or something, and you have to completely format and reinstall Windows if you ever want it to work again.

 

It's a lot of fun to do this on school computer

[5614]

Rather less destructive thing to do would be to edit the registry key which loads explorer. When you start the computer it starts but gets stuck at a blank desktop with no start bar.

 

You can still press Start+E and so find regedit in My Computer. You could then easily change the registry back. Alternatively you could open Task Manager click New Task and open explorer manually.